Is Your Resume Authentic?

If you perused resume advice when writing your resume, you learned the basics such as the importance of including accomplishments, creating a qualifications summary, customizing the resume to your goal and proofreading to make sure it's perfect. But now that your resume is done, do you recognize yourself? If your resume doesn't reflect the real you, chances are that employers will pick up on that and you will lose job opportunities.

Stay true to yourself by avoiding these resume traps:

1. Don't Copy: Avoid the temptation to adapt your resume from a sample, a template or a friend's resume. I've published hundreds of resume samples, and quite often I see some version of a resume I've written -- sometimes more than 10 years ago -- come across my desk. If your resume looks like all of the other resumes based on a template or a sample, you are not going to stand out from the crowd.

2. Don't Use "Resume-Speak": In the resume writing industry, we refer to overuse of clichés and pompous words as resume-speak. It's better to write as if you were speaking in a professional setting and use words that sound genuine to you. Remove tired phrases that lack substance and are just wasting space. For example, instead of saying that you are a "results-driven, top-performing team player with excellent communication and organizational skills,” cite specific examples of accomplishments that relate to these skills.

3. Don't Lie: The tight labor market has left many people unemployed or underemployed and wondering how best to explain job changes and long gaps. It's tempting to lie or exaggerate to get an edge, and many job seekers do go down that road. However, misrepresenting yourself has consequences, including guilt, constant worrying and even job termination if the lie is discovered. The truth is that hiccups in your work history are never as bad as you think, and can be overcome by a carefully thought-out resume strategy combined with an aggressive job search campaign.

Check out these articles for more tips:

·   Three Ways to Fill Your Resume Gaps

·   Let Sample Resumes Inspire You, Not Define You

·   Understand Smart Resume Packaging vs. Exaggeration

What strategies have helped you create a resume that reflects who you are? Please share in the comments below!

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Kim Isaacs is the Monster Resume Expert and director of ResumePower.com.

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